Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
June 29, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37036-37037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15862]



[[Page 37036]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0050]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of denials.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its denial of 115 applications from 
individuals who requested an exemption from the Federal vision standard 
applicable to interstate truck and bus drivers and the reasons for the 
denials. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the 
vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise 
safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions does 
not provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater 
than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these 
commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles A. Horan, III, Director, 
Carrier, Driver and Vehicle Safety Standards, (202) 366-4001, 
fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Room W64-224, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office 
hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the Federal vision standard for a renewable 2-year period if it 
finds ``such an exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that 
is equivalent to or greater than the level that would be achieved 
absent such an exemption.'' The procedures for requesting an exemption 
are set forth in 49 CFR part 381.
    Accordingly, FMCSA evaluated 115 individual exemption requests on 
their merit and made a determination that these applicants do not 
satisfy the criteria eligibility or meet the terms and conditions of 
the Federal exemption program. Each applicant has, prior to this 
notice, received a letter of final disposition on the exemption 
request. Those decision letters fully outlined the basis for the denial 
and constitute final Agency action. The list published in this notice 
summarizes the Agency's recent denials as required under 49 U.S.C. 
31315(b)(4) by periodically publishing names and reasons for denial.
    The following 25 applicants had no experience operating a CMV:

John O. Adams
Chamekia Allison
William S. Bennett
Alex J. Cordova
Lee J. Gaffney
Joseph P. Gatzek
Victor Gulian
James L. Howes
Jose R. Izaguirre
Robert C. Jeffries
Douglas R. Johnston
Joshua L. Johnson
Charles D. Jones
Darrell T. Leonard
Steven L. Loper
Jared J. Martin
Peni M. Matanimeke
Thomas I. Poindexter
Joaquin Rivera
Michael D. Roe
Allen Rowbotham
Zachary M. Sawyer
Marcus W. Scott
John J. Tilton
Joshua Yeick

    The following 24 applicants did not have three years of experience 
driving a CMV on public highways with their vision deficiencies:

Raed A. Abdelrahim
Jaloliddin S. Abduvakhabov
Elbert A. Akers
Esmic Arras-Saenz
Howard D. Barton
Alan F. Brown
Jerry Carter
Donald E. Cessna, Sr.
Douglas G. Gentry
Jerry G. Henry III
Delbert R. Hummel
Timothy L. Kennie
Ricky A. Mobley
Gabriel Navarro
Ronald D. Otworth
Frederick E. Place
Joshua S. Reiling
Timothy A. Robbins
Anthony A. Salesi
Rodney M. Spigner
Charles Till
Benny P. Whitehead
Charles R. Williams
Wilson B. Willie

    The following seven applicants did not have three years of recent 
experience driving a CMV with the vision deficiency:

Jeffrey S. Branch
Richard Jarrell
Duane A. McCord
Todd O. Moodispaugh
Reynerio G. Paz
Lynn C. Radney, Sr.
Rick L. Richardson

    The following three applicants did not have sufficient driving 
experience during the past three years under normal highway operating 
conditions:

Harold L. Cobb
Allen Hewitt
Clarence H. Lee

    The following applicant, James Lyman, was charged with a moving 
violation(s) in conjunction with a commercial motor vehicle 
accident(s).
    The following applicant, Kevin E. Putney, had his CDL suspended in 
relation to a moving violation during the three-year period. Applicants 
do not qualify for an exemption with a suspension during the three-year 
period.
    The following three applicants were unable to obtain a statement 
from an optometrist or ophthalmologist stating that he was able to 
operate a commercial vehicle from a vision standpoint:

Roger F. Berneking
Kip M. Le Fever
David N. Skillings

    The following applicant, Michael A. Stiles, was denied for 
miscellaneous/multiple reasons.
    The following two applicants did not have stable vision for the 
entire three-year period:

Wesley A. Boyd
Thomas E. Lippincott

    The following applicant, Myrick J. Jackson, never submitted the 
documents required for a vision exemption.
    The following applicant, Aaron Wiebe, lives in Canada.
    The following two applicants did not meet the vision standard in 
their better eye:

Thomas E. Allen
Michael J. Pullman

    The following 13 applicants met the current federal vision 
standards. Exemptions are not required for applicants who meet the 
current regulations for vision:

Elazar Ambriz
Steven P. Cohen
Aubrey B. Cook
John D. Hamm
Randal E. Heibult
Thomas M. King
Donald R. Knobloch
Rodney E. Parks
Rene J. Patenaude
Theodore T. Phillips
David Searcy
Guy Waltz
Lloyd F. Wood

    The following 26 applicants were denied because they will not be 
driving interstate, interstate commerce, or are not required to carry a 
DOT medical card:

Melvin C. Bennett

[[Page 37037]]

James E. Campbell
Jeremy L. Elliott
Edward T. Errrichetto
Stefano U. Fabbri
Sebastian Fernandez
Phillp M. Green
Antone J. Heideman, Jr.
Eric J. Hidden
Jared B. Holt
Paul E. Irish, Jr.
Justin M. Jackson
Elias Lemus, Jr.
Thomas J. Manning
David B. McConnell
Timothy J. Miller
George Moore, Jr.
Elpidio Munoz, Jr.
Nicholas M. O'Rourke
William F. Potts
Michael L. Rouse
George E. Shores
Claude G. Stolp
James R. Taylor
Joseph M. Taylor
Joseph H. Varel

    Finally, the following five applicants perform transportation for 
the federal government, state, or any political sub-division of the 
state.

Bryan A. Jenkins
Anton M. Maloblocki
Stuart P. Nichols
Lawrence K.W. Smith
James A. White, Jr.

    Issued on: June 22, 2015.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2015-15862 Filed 6-26-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P